Portable range unit with separately controlled flues



March 1l, 1947. R. MALLAN 2,417,314

PORTABLE RANGE UNIT WITH SEPARATELY CONTROLLED FLUES Filed March e,-1945y 2 Sheetsshee-r l f6, 54\-- 70) I 'l Mmmm R. MALLAN March 11,1947.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 6, 194;v

-INVENTOR x l /amMALm/v Patented Mar. 11, 1947 PRTABLE RANGE UNIT WTITHSEPA- RATELY CNTRLLEB FLUES Robert Mallard. New York, N. Y.; Jane Malianexecutrix of said Robert Mallen, deceased Application March 6, 1943,Serial No. 478,275

10 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus commonly referred to as ranges, andparticularly to a portable unit of this kind mounted on wheels tofacilitate transportation or movementI of the range from place to place,thus adapting it for practical military purposes in providing allnecessary equipment for the preparation of food supply to the army. Theobject of the invention is to provde units of the class described havingcontainers, compartments, pots, tanks or the like whereby all kinds anddescriptions of foods can be prepared, including the supply of hotwater. A further object being to provide units of the class described inwhich the burner and source of fuel, compressed air and steam allconstitute an integral part of the portable unit as more fullyhereinafter described.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from thefollowing descriptions when taken together with the accompanying drawingin which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed, and inwhich the separate parts are designated by suitable reference charactersin each of the views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a unit made according to myinvention.

Fig. 2` is a cross section substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig, 3 is a sectional View substantially on the line S- of Fig. 2, Y v

Fig. 4 is a sectional View substantially on the line 4-3 of Fig. 2, andv Fig. la is a partial section on the line doi-4a of Fig. 4.

While my improved range is adaptable for many uses, either as a portableor stationary apparatus, for the purposes of this description, and toillustrate one adaptation of the invention, the range will be describedfrom a military standpoint and identified as a field range unit.

With field ranges which have been put into military use, it has recentlybeen practiced to employ rather large cumbersome ranges iired bygasoline burners. Theseranges in addition to being very inefficient havealso been extremely objectionable by reason of the danger of explosion,and by a lack of mobility in rough terrain. Further, e'Xpert care andconstant cleaning has been necessary in the attempt to maintain areasonable 'degree of efficiency in such type of apparatus.

It is the purpose of my invention to construct a very simple and highlyefficient range made in the form of a portable unit, which can bequickly and easily shifted from place to place. Further, it is mypurpose to employ a unit of this kind having a fuel oil burner usingfuel oil, whereby in addition to providing a high degree of efliciencyand practicabilityresulting from the simple construction and portablecharacteristics of the range, also effects a material saving in fuelconsumption. It is also well to mention that a unit of thekind underconsideration will operate efficiently with a minimum amo-unt of care,and will not require the cleaning and alterations as usually foundnecessary with other apparatus of this kind.

With my range unit, many of the containers, pans and the like areremovable to facilitate periodic cleaning of the interior of the range.Further, the range is so designed, that the pots and pans partially formthe heat circulating chambers of the range, baille or partition wallsbeing employed to control circulation of the heat units l through therange, and iinally through the smoke stack or chimney. It is also wellto point out that the fuel oil burner employed is generally of the typeand kind disclosed in my Patent 2,304,468, dated kDecember 8, 1942, andfor this reason, no specific disclosure of the burner will herein bemade. This type of burner operates without the use of any electric motoror similar secondary power source.

The illustrations in the raccc'impanying drawings are somewhatdiagrammatic, particularly from the standpoint of showing the detailedconstruction of the various insulated and other walls of the range inorder to simplify the present illustration. A l l The range unitcomprises an oblong rectanlgular range body la, and for purposes of thisdescription, the wall i l will be regarded as the front wall, the walll2 the back wall, and I3 and lli will represent the side walls. Suitablysupported on the side walls i3ili are axles l5, on which are mounted ayoke shaped hauling frame I6, note Fig, l., and outwardly of the frameI6, are large wheels il by means of which the range unit may be movedover a surface in the transportation thereof.

I-Ingedly supported on lower corners of the body ill 'are feet i3normally held in raised positions in the transportationV of the unit andadapted to be lowered when the unit is at rest to maintain the body itagainst swinging movement.

Central of the lower portion of the body I is a rire box I9, thegreatest depth of which extends between the front and the back walls.This re box flares upwardly to the side walls l3-l4, as will clearlyappear from a consideration of Fig. 2 of the drawing. Means is providedas at to support a grate inthe lower portion of the nre box in the eventthat it is desirable to use wood or coal as fuel.v -In which event, thelower part 2l below the re box becomes an ash pit. For militarypurposes, a grate 22 may be installed to haveV the same in readiness forinstantaneous use by simply removing the oil burner 23. When the burneris in use, it is also preferred that an asbestos or other facing 22-a bearranged over the grate, as indicated in Fig. 2 only. This facing isomitted from Figs. 3 and 4,.

The burner 23 is suitably mounted on the front wall Il of the rangebody, and supported on the l,

wall above the burner is a fuel oil supply tank 24,

which provides a gravity feed to the burner. *Atv V 25 is shown theboiler or steam generator for supplying steam to the nozzle 23-a of theburner. The burner is of the general type and'kind identied in thepatent above mentioned.

In the present adaptation of the invention the nozzleY 2lia opens into amixing chamber 23-12 in which is arranged a primer or booster 23.c, usedto start the burner and in generating initial steam supply. The ame ofthis primer extends into-the mixing chamber and out through thedischarge 25--a, which'is built within the steam generator 25. With thisconstruction the heat of the flame will maintain the generator 25 inconstant operation. The above structure is only diagrammaticallyillustrated for purposes of clarity in understanding of the completeapparatus.

Adjacent the Vside I4 of the body I0 is a compartmentz, inwhich a waterpressure tank 21, is mounted, and this compartment may also be used asa'storage means for tools and equipment. At'23 is shown a handle of ahand pump for supplyingthe required pressure tothe tank 2'! forVApressure feed of the water to the boiler.V At the other side of thebody lil, adjacent thewall i3 is a tool or other storage compartment 2B.

The main control for the burner 1s indicated 50 by the knob :mandarranged'around the burner inwardly of the knob is an air housing orjacket 3l, which prevents high winds from materially effecting burneroperations.v In many instances,

Vthe range unit will be operated out of doors, and 55 apparentwhen highwinds prevail, it is desirable to shield `the burner from the wind. i

In the construction shown, a hot water tank s2 is exposed to the re box,and water may vbe supplied to this tank through an inlet, as at 60 k33,`and discharged therefrom through a faucet or valve 3d. This water may beused in the preparation of foods, in Ithe making of tea and othervhotdrinks, and in delivering hot water for cleaning andv other purposes.

In Yaddition to the water tank, the dpper portion of the body lli isdivided into different types ofcompa'rtments for the preparation ofdiierent foods. For example, a large soup pot 35 is supported in thefront portion `of the body adjacent theiw'all I3, whereas a coiee pot orkettlel is Y supported just rearwardly of the pot 35. At the Vtop of thebody Il), adjacent theV wall i4, .and extending between the front andback walls i l and l2; is a large frying pan 31.

. may be provided to retain as the pan 3i all have removable covers torender 'Y the interior of the various receptacles accessible through thetop of the unit, and suitable means cidental displacement, particularlyin transportation of the unit with food in the various receptacles. Asis well known in otherarts, Ymeans may be provided to seal thecoverssothat any duid contents will not be discharged. As these y Ycirculating chambers, the circulating chambers of the pot are generallyindicated by the reference character 3d. The baffles 39 and partitionBea are employed, noteV Figs. 2, 4 and 4a, to provide a back and forthretarded circulation substantially as indicated by the arrows liti inFigs.

2 and 4, as well as in Fig. 3.

' At is shown a baking oven, more or less built in structure, and soarranged with respect to the water kettle `andthe frying pan as toprovide a circulating chamber ft2 .below the oven, a circulatingVchamber .d3 above ,the oven, other chambers 44, at each side of theoven,

Vand a chamber at the Lback of the, oven. vA

hinged door 45 is arranged upon the front wall l i to control admissionto the ovenvchamber.

Sub-dividing the pot side from the frying pan side is a back and lforthpartition di, and this partition is oiset at the back of the water tank32, as seen at d8, and where it opens into a iiue discharge t9 at theback of the ire box i9.

PivotedV at one side of the wall VM--l is a damper 593, which controlsthe discharge of products of combustion from the fire box through thedischarge 49 up into theoven side Yof the range. Another damper Ell-a isarranged at theother V side of the wallV all-d8, and voperates betweenthe 45 range in which the pots 35, @t are disposed'. rEhe dampers havesuitably operated knobs outwardly of the wall l2,as indicated in Figs..3 and 4 of the drawing. At 5l is shown an openingcontrolled bythedamper 58 so that products of combustion from the fire box can riseupwardly for circulation around the pots 35, 36. Y. i

By throwing the damper Eil-d into damper 55, all of the heat may bedirected through thedischarge 5l with the damper E30- a inropen Ofcourse, when both dampers are in position. open position the Yheat willbe circulated around all of the compartments, containers and so forth.VY The exposure of both of the bottoms of .the f pots 35, 36 to the Afirebox vwill naturallyv heat any food products or beverages that may becontained therein. kThis would operate to keep them warm while baking orfrying, or these pots or compartments thereof may simpl?)7 be kept idle.

Built into the upper central portion of. the range in line with thepartitions il are two Vflue discharges 52. These discharges terminateshortof the front wall El, as indicated at 53', inrFig. 3

The potv35, as ,well pSSagS of the drawing, and products of combustionfrom lone side of the range pass out through one passage 52, kand fromthe other side of the range throughthe other passage 52, .and these--twothese covers against acthis is also'a closed position, all of the heatwill be circulated around the s Y oven and beneath vthe frying pan, -aswill -be v On the'other hand, by closing Vthe lead into a single,vertical'stack dis "stack communicating with the ot charge '54, which iscomparatively short in height.

This is made possible by virtue of the length of the iiue formed by thetwo passages 52 which actually constitute part of the stack. By beingbuilt into the upper portion of the range, the horizontal fluedischarges 52 also will radiate heat to produce eicient range operation.

The circulation of the products of combustion indicated by the arrowslill produces in the resulting range a very high eiciency in operationfor cooking, baking and frying, and this has been verified by carefullychecked tests made on the range unit.

Instead of operating the burner unit with the heavier types of fuel,such as Number 2, or Number 3 furnace oil, lighter grades of fuel may beused, including gasoline. With some of these lighter fuels, andparticularly gasoline, I find it desirable to put the fuel in the tank2d, under pressure, and this is done by simply adding an air hand pump55, the discharge 5t of which opens into the upper part of the tank, andsuitable well known valves willV be employed to hold the pressure in thetank, appropriate pressure gages and the like may be employed.

I have also found that mixtures of light and heavy fuels can beemployed, as well as a mix ture of gasoline and lubricating oils.

It will, of course, be apparent that in the use of the different typesand kinds of fuel, the burner will be adjusted to control the variousfeeds and the relative positions of the nozzles.

It will be apparent that location and arrangement of the various tanks,pots, pans and so forth may be varied to suit different users, and whenit is desired to concentrate the `unit on the preparation of certaintypes and kinds only of food, that the more general combination asherein indicated can be dispensed with, but in all instances, thegeneral structure of the range will be the same.

It will be understood that the outer walls of the range body will besuitably insulated, andthe re box will be lined with suitable material,as is common with structures of this type and kind.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A range comprising an insulated body, a nre box at the lower portionof said body, the body above the fire box having a partition. wallintermediate the side walls and substantially centrally of the body,receptacles in said body in spaced relation to the outer walls thereofand said partition wall to form at each side of the partition wallindependent circulating passages, part of said circulating passagesbeing disposed at opposite sides of said partition wall, the rearportion of the fire box havingV an outlet cornmunicating with thecirculating passages at each side of said partition, manually operatedmeans adjacent the partition controlling circulation of products ofcombustion in each of said circulating passages, baffles in saidcirculating passages for retarding circulation of products of combustionupwardly through said passages and around said receptacle, the upperportion of said body having a horizontal flue comprising flue passagesadjacent and at opposite sides of said partition,

means discharging products or combustion from each of saidcirculatingpassages into one end ofthehorizontal flue passages, and a vertical herend of said horizontal flue passages.

2. A range comprising an insulated body, a ilre box at the lower portionof said body, the body above the rire box having a partition wallintermediate the side walls and substantially centrally of the body,receptacles in said body in spaced relation to the outer walls thereofand said partition wall to form at each side of the partition wallindependent circulating passages, part of said circulating passagesbeing disposed at opposite sides of said partition wall, the rearportion of the lire box having an outlet communicating with thecirculating passages at each side of said partition, manually operatedmeans adjacent the partition controlling circulation of products ofcombustion in each of said circulating passages, baffles in saidcirculating passages for retarding circulation of products of combustionupwardly through said passages and around said receptacles, the upperportion of said body having a horizontal iiue comprising flue passagesadjacent and at opposite sides of said partition, meansdischarging'products of combustion from each of said circulatingpassages into one end of the horizontal flue passages, a vertical stackcommunicating with the other end of said horizontal flue passages, andsaid circulating passages extending to substantially completely envelopewall portions of said receptacles.

3. A range comprising an insulated body, a fire box at the lower portionof said body, the body above the fire box having a partition wallintermediate the side walls and substantially centrally of the body,receptacles in said body in spaced relation to the outer walls thereofand said partition wall to form at each side of the partition wallindependent circulating passages, part of said circulating passagesbeing disposed at opposite sides of said partition wall, the rearportion of the fire box having an outlet communicating with thecirculating passages at each side of said partition, manually operatedmeans adjacent the partition controlling circulation of products ofcombustion in. each of said circulating passages, baffles in. saidcirculating passages for retarding circulation of products of combustionupwardly through said passages and around said receptacles, the upperportion of said body having a horizontal flue comprising flue passagesadjacent and at opposite sides of said partition, means dischargingproducts of combustion from each of said circulating passages into oneend of the horizontal flue passages, a vertical stack communicating withthe other end of said horizontal flue passages, said circulatingpassages extending to substantially completely envelope wall 'portionsof said receptacles, one of said receptacles at one side of the bodycomprising a baking oven, and the circulating passages of said side ofthe body completely enveloping all but the front wall of said oven.

4. A range comprising an insulated body, a fire box at the lower portionof said body, the body above the lire box having a partition wallintermediate the side walls and substantially centrally of the body,receptacles in said body in spaced relation to the outer walls thereofand said partition wall to form at each side of the partition wallindependent circulating passages, part of said circulating passagesbeing disposed at opposite sides of said partition wall, the rearportion of the f re box having an outlet communicating with thecirculating passages at eachside of said partition, manually operatedmeans adjacent the partition controlling circulation of products ofvmunicating with the circulating istering with the circulatingcombustion in each of said circulating passages, baliles in saidcirculating passages for retarding circulation of products of combustionupwardly through said passages and around said receptacles, the upperportion of said body having a horizontal flue comprising flue passagesadjacent and at opposite sides of said partition, means dischargingproducts of combustion from each of said circulating passages into oneend of the horizontal flue passages, a vertical stack communicating withthe other end of said horizontal iue passages, said circulating passagesextending to substantially completely envelope Wall portions of saidreceptacles, and one of said receptacles vcomprising a frying pan.

5. A range comprising an insulated body, a

viire box at the lower portion of said body, lthe body above the firebox having a partition Wall intermediate the side walls andsubstantially centrally of the body, receptacles in said body in spacedrelationV to the outer walls thereof and said partition wall to form ateach side of the partition wall independent circulating passages, partof said circulating passages being disposed Vat opposite sides or saidpartition Wall, the rear the fire box having an outlet comn passages ateach side of said partition, manually operated means adjacent thepartition controlling circulation of portion of products of combustionin each of said circulat- .L

ing passages, baiiles in said circulating passages for retardingcirculation of products of combustion upwardly through said passages andaround said receptacles, the upper portion of said body having ahorizontal fiue comprising iiue passages adjacent,v and at oppositesides of said partition, means discharging products of combustion fromeach of said circulating passages into one end of the horizontal fluepassages, a vertical stack communicating with the other end of saidhorizontal ue passages, said circulating passages extending tosubstantially completely envelope wall porv tions of said receptacles,and one of said receptacles comprising a kettle.

6. In a range having a lire box at the lower portion thereof with adischarge from the re box at the rear of the range, the range above thefire box being divided by a substantially central vertical partitionwall and by receptacles in the range, in spaced relation to the walls ofthe range and said partition Wall, into independent circulating passageswith which the discharge from the iire box communicates, ahorizontalflue passage at each side of the partition at the top of the range,onerend of each flue passage registering with the circulating passage onthe corresponding side ci said partition for providing exhaust ofproducts of combustion therefrom, and a vertical Ydischarge at the otherend of the horizontal flue passage.`

'7. 1n a range having a fire box at the lower portion thereof with adischarge from the fire box at the rear of the range, the range abovethe fire box being divided by a substantially central verticalYpartition wall and by receptacles in the range, in spaced relation tothe walls of the Arange and -said partition wall, into independentcirculating passages with which the discharge from the iire boxcommunicates, a horizontal flue passage at each side of the partition'atthe top of the range, one end of each nue passage regpassage on the'corresponding side of said partition for providing exhaust ofv productsof combustion therefrom, a vertical discharge at the other end of thehorizontal ue passage, and manually adjustable means for controllingcirculation of products of combustion from Vthe i'lrebox to thecirculating passages at each side of said partition.

8. In a range having a re box at the lower portion thereof with adischarge from the re box at the rear of the range, the range above there box being divided by a substantially central verticalrpartition Walland by receptacles in the range, in spaced relation to the walls of therange and said partition wall, into independent circulating passageswith which the discharge from the re box communicates, a horizontal fluepassage at each side of the partition at the top of the range,one end ofeachflue passage registering with the circulating passage on thecorresponding side of said partition for providing exhaust of productsof combustion therefrom, a vertical discharge at the other end of thehorizontal flue passage, manually adjustable means for controllingcirculation of Vproducts of combustion from the Vflre box to thecirculating passages at each 'side of said partition, and meansretarding circulation of products of combustion through said passagesand around said receptacles.

9. A portable range unit comprising a Wheeled body, a nre box at theAlower portion of said body with a discharge from the fire box at therear of of the partition at the top of the range, one end e oi each fluepassage registering with the circulating passage on the correspondingside of said partition for providing exhaust of products of combustiontherefrom, a vertical discharge at the other end of the horizontal uepassage, and a damper controlling the discharge of products ofcombustion from thefire box to the circulating passages of said unit.

l0. In a self-red portable field range unit employing a burner and fuel,water and compressed air suppliesV thereto; Va range body, a fire box inthe lower portion of said body fired by said burner, the range bodyabove the re box having, a central vertical partition and receptacles ateach side of the partition spaced therefrom and from vthe walls of saidbody to form independent circulating passages at each side of the body,meansV including a manually actuated member for cone trolling passage ofproducts of combustion from the rear portion ef the fire box into saidcirculating passages, the circulating passage at each side of saidpartition havinga horizontal discharge flue adjacent the partition atthe top of the range body with an exhaust vfrom the circulating passageto the flue at one end thereof, the other end of each flue communicatingwith a vertical stack, and means retarding ycirculation of products ofcombustion through each of vsaid circulating passages,

i ROBERT, MALLAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oiarecord in the file ofthis patent:

Number 929,089 1,144,002 1,383,213 1,499,373 1,673,558 2,173,5222,307,465 434,126 No number Number Number Name Date Seeds Sept. 1, 1903Calkins Aug. 6, 1889 Pickup Mar. 2, 1937 Underwood May 23, 1939 MarchAug. 13, 1907 McCarty Feb. 26, 1918 Polhemus Apr. 12, 1932 Maul Aug. 19,1924 Busiek Feb. 8, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Brtsh Aug. 20,1928 German Apr. 14, 1903 Sykes (British) 1887

